November 2018 by Thomas T.
My step brother goes to the same church in Buchanan with the owner of M-51 AUTO SALES, Jim Manwarren. My step uncle is the pastor of the church. My step brother told me he only casually knows the owner, Jim Manwarren, but hasn't heard any negative about his reputation as a used car dealer. So, I figured if I have to buy a car from a used car dealer at least I know a lot of the same people as Jim Manwarren and maybe I will actually get a fair deal! I bought a Chevy Trailblazer from the owner Jim Manwarren in November, 2018. He told me it was a "good runner" and "AS FAR AS HE KNEW was in great shape !" Jim told me he had just had THE WHEEL BEARINGS (plural!) replaced on the front end by an area mechanic that I have also done business with for years. LITERALLY 10 minutes after I bought the car and drove it off the lot the CHECK ENGINE SOON light came on. Then I took it to Belle Tire for a front end alignment and they told me THE FRONT END BALL JOINTS WERE ALL BAD AND THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE! Belle Tire quoted me $800 - $1000 to fix the car!!! I went to a different mechanic, who I trust, and he told me basically the same thing, although quoted me a slightly lower price and said the driver side wheel bearing was completely shot and the passenger side could wait to be replaced a little while. This mechanic is also the same person who WORKED ON THE CAR I BOUGHT FROM JIM MANWARREN AT M-51 AUTO SALES ! This mechanic put new tie-rods on my car at the request of Jim at M-51 AUTO SALES prior to Jim putting the car for sale out on his sales lot. Jim also had the mechanic repair THE WHEEL BEARINGS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE ONLY of the vehicle! NOBODY FIXES JUST ONE SIDE OF THE CARS' WHEEL BEARINGS! It's like putting new brake pads on, when you do one side you automatically do both! If on side is worn, so is the other. SAME FOR WHEEL BEARINGS! I called Jim 4 times and told him what was going on with the car he had just sold me. He basically blew smoke up my a$$ and I finally came right out and told him that I believe he knew about the expensive repairs the car needed and he hid this information from me just to make a sale. I asked him to help me cover the cost of the repairs just to make the car driveable. Jim Manwarren said he would call the mechanic who looked at the car and Jim promised to get back to me, that was 7 days ago and Jim has not gotten back to me. I guess I just got TOOK! I STRONGLY BELIEVE, IN MY OPINION, THAT JIM at M-51 AUTO SALES KNEW the ball joints were shot and would have to be replaced at additional cost (eating into his profit margin) so he told the mechanic NOT TO REPAIR THE WHEEL BEARING ON THE DRIVER SIDE! I have no proof of this, but when my/and Jims' mechanic looked at the car 3 days after I bought it from M-51 AUTO SALES he remembered working on it and within 30 seconds told me it needs new ball joints on both sides and wheel bearings on the drivers side. I needed a vehicle for work and I trusted Jim at M-51 AUTO SALES, and now it's going to cost me close to $1000 just to make it SAFE TO DRIVE! And this is for the repairs that I know it needs as of now! NEVER AGAIN!!!
